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1880 
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Copurightect by li. Bard, Au(just,i;6SQ. 

The following "Poem, or Bkttlc Song," was composed 
Ji>Ltlie2ateCaptJ)avi^^ Co. I, l()4th Regiment, 

O. V. I., just after the ba«ie of Winchester, while he 
was a Sergeant of Co. F, 7th Regiment, (). V. I. 

A brief sketch of the life of Capt. Bard is appended, 
believing that it will be found interesting in connection 
with this poem ; 

I. 
There was a marching of armies, down from the North, 
Brought forth by a love for the land of their birth ; 
The foul breath of destruction, by traitors sent forth, 
Must be met at its ebb, and hurled back on the South. 

II. 
Boldly they fought, those champions of right, 
They everywhere kept our fair banner in sight ; 
Victory on victory their bold efforts crowned, 
And the sons of the West by their deeds were renowned. 

III. 
Then Banks from the East, with his legions came forth. 
To be joined by brave Shields, as they marched to the 

South. 
Winchester was gained by the flight of the foe, 
Breathing curses on Yankees as south^-ard they go. 

IV. 
On March 22d Jackson returned, 
His heart with rank treason now fiercely burned, 
Ashby came forward with two thousand men 
To spy out the force, ere the battle began. 

V. 
The shells from his cannon came bursting around, 
Ancf brave Shields left the field with a sore bleeding 

wound ; 
The night coming soon ended the fight. 
Both armies impatiently waited for light- 

VI. 
The booming of cannon on the clear morning air 
Gave proof to our army that the foe was still there 
And the strife it grew hot, as the sun climbed the sky. 
And the turf was oft dyed with the red crimson dye. 

VII. 
Kimball and Sullivan were mixed in the fight, 
And Tylers' brave columns advanced on the right. 
Like speed of the shaft,, as it parts from the bow. 
So Tyler came down with his force on the foe. 




VIII. 

Now the white smoke of battle, rose in clouds from the 

fight, 
. liding cannons and horses and columns from sight, 
And the blaze of the muskets was rapid and hot, 
. i-nd the blood of our braves covered many a spot. 

IX. 
'':he Shells and the grape sang hoarse in the wood. 
And tore up the ground where the brave warriors 

stood ; 
But the bullets and balls and the shells were their 

scorn, 
Proudly we sent them the same in return. 

X. 
The battle now raged in the heighth of its tide. 
And fast grew the li.st of the soldiers that died, 
And the roar of Daums' cannon was heard on the hill, 
Mingled with the shrieks of men that were killed. 

XL 
The fight was now ^erce from the right to the left, 
A.nd Jackson at last on the right threw his heft, 
Vnd the balls from his muskets behind a stone wall, 
' 'ame down on the 7th like the falling of hail. 

XII. 
irave Col. Murry with the bold 84th, 
:*ressed hard on the foe with his men of the North ; 
vlurry soon fell by the ball of his foe. 
And a braver man was never in battle laid low. 
XIII. 

3ut Creighton was there, and with firm fearle.ss word, 
Vith an eye that flashed, and the wave of his sword, 
ie held then bravely, as against fearful odds, 
Vhile balls killed his men, and tore up the sods. 

XIV. 
And the groans of the wounded were loud in the wood 
And the dying were gasping as they lay in their blood) 
And the squadrons of cavalry were in haste rushing by, 
All eager their sabres with blood to dye. 

XV. 

Night again came upon them, as to hide from the sight 
The horrors and terrors of that desperate fight ; 
ind the blaze of the musket in darkness was seen. 
Is the parting balls travelled the armies between. 

XVI. 



The bright Sabbath sun sank low in the west, 

O'er a field of fierce carnage its parting rays cast ; 

Both armies were reluctant to give up the field, 

But a charge from the Yankees caused the rebels to 







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X\ll. 

Many scores of brave freemen were dead on tlie plain, 
From whence they'll ne'er rise to do ti^ditino; ajj;ain ; 
Tiieir names shall be cherished around the l)ri^ht 

iiearth ; 
In the land of their home, their choice and their birth. 

XVIII 

The sons of the West by their valor have proved 
That our countrj' and freedom is sacredly loved ; 
And the swift shafts of death they'll gallantly meet, 
To hninble the traitoi's in shame at their feet. 

XIX. 

So Shields was victorious, the day he had won, 
By the firm fearless bravery of each Northern son ; 
Shenandoah, the valley, will ne'er be forgotten, 
When the monuments of its heroes are crumbled and 
rotten. 



Capt. David l). Bard, d.eieui-ed, late of the 7th and 
104th Regiments, O. Y. I., author of the poem entitled 
"Battle of Winchester," was born at Cornwall, Litch 
Held county, Connecticut, July 23d, 1841, was the great- 
grandson of a patriot-soldier of the Revolution and was 
the eldest son of the late Rev. Rodol])luis Bard, a Bap- 
tist clergyman of Portatre county, Ohio. 

Early in life Capt. Bard showed a fondness for books 
and pursued his studies with an energy that gave him 
great success as a teacher, for the short time in which 
he was thus engaged. He completed his studies at 
Hiram Institute, during the year 18()0, at which time 
Hon. James A. Garfield was its honored President. 
The Institute at that time numbered V)etween three 
and four hundred students, many of whom were 
preparing to teach. President Garlield's "lec- 
tures on teaching," and other subjects, occupy a 
large amount of space in the diary of Ca])t. Bard, and 
the nu^iierous comments on his mode of teaching, made 
in the diary, are highly complimentary to Hiram's 
College President. 

After Capt. Bard had successfully condui'ted a large 
school at New Philadelphia, Ohio, during the Winter 
and Spring of 1801, he returned to his home at the 
commencement of the Rebellion, and on May ."Ist, 18G1, 
was among the tir.st to volunteer as a boldier, and en- 
tered the 7th Regiment, O. V. I., as a j)i-ivate of Co. F, 
was promoted to Sergeant, and with his Regiment 
fo. lowed its fortunes in Virginia, participating in all 
of its battles and skirmishes, prominently among which 
was the famous battle of Winchester, March 22d and 
23d, 1862, in which battle he took a prominent part, 
and ill which Stonew^all Jackson was defeated. 



shortly after which Capt. Bard wrote the poem descrip- 
tive of this battle. His diary contains an accurate and 
vivid description of this and all other battles in which 
he participatc-d, during u period of over four years. 

On the first anniversary day of his enlistment, after 
just one years service, he was "mustered out" on 
"Surgeon's Certificate of disability" at "Circle Hospital," 
Washington, D. C. Much as it was against his wishes, 
it was deemed necessary in order to save his life. Un- 
der skillful home treatment he speedily regained his 
health and applied to Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of 
AVar, asking to have his discharge set aside. Finding 
that under the rules this could not be done, he applied 
to and received from Gov. David Todd, of Ohio, a First 
Lieutenant's ('ommission on the anniversary of his 
twenty-first Ijirthday. Having raised a comi)any, which 
became a part of the newly organized l()4th Regiment, 
0. V. I., at the time Capt. Bard took the field with his 
new command, less than two months had elapsed since 
his discharge from the 7th Ohio at "Circle Hospital," 
Washington, D. C. 

He was soon after commissioned as Captain of his 
company, and with them followed the "fortunes of 
war" through Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, 
and back to Franklin, Tenn., at which place, in one of 
the most terrific battles of the war, he was called uj)on 
to lay down his young life, while in the performance of 
his duties as A. A. A. General on the staff" of General 
J. W. Reilly, of the 1st Brig., 3d Div., 23d A. C, under 
Gen. Thomas. 

His record as an officer and soldier I leave to the 
official records at Washington, and to the brave men 
who shared with him the dangers and privations of the 
camp and field. 

Thus ended the eventful life of n brave soldier, true 
patriot and a faithful christian, at the early age of 
twenty-three years. 

In Memory of the author of this poem, to the rela- 
tives and friends of his youth, to his highly respected 
teacher at Hiram Institute, Hon. James A. Garfield, 
from whose example and teachings he drew much of 
the inspiration of his young life ; to the brave soldiers 
and comrades who fell wounded and dying at the 
battles of Winchester,Knoxville, Lookoutand Kennisaw 
Mountain, Atlanta, Nashville and Franklin, and who 
shared with him other battles and skirmishes ; and 
finally to all officers and soldiers of the Union Army 
who, like him, imperilled their lives in defense of our 
common country in the suppression of rebellion, and 
the establishment of the principles of freedom to all 
men 

THIS F01M IS BIDICATID, 

• RODOLPHUS BARD, 

August, 1880. Meadville, Pa. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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Hollinger Corp. 
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